Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options Listen to Acts 27
Close NASB

Acts 27
New American Standard Bible

Paul Is Sent to Rome

27 Now when it was decided that (A)we (B)would sail for (C)Italy, they proceeded to turn Paul and some other prisoners over to a centurion of the Augustan [a](D)cohort, named Julius. 2 And we boarded an Adramyttian ship that was about to sail to the regions along the coast of [b](E)Asia, and put out to sea accompanied by (F)Aristarchus, a (G)Macedonian of (H)Thessalonica. 3 The next day we put in at (I)Sidon; and Julius (J)treated Paul with consideration and (K)allowed him to go to his friends and receive care. 4 From there we put out to sea and sailed under the shelter of (L)Cyprus, because (M)the winds were contrary. 5 When we had sailed through the sea along the coast of (N)Cilicia and (O)Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia. 6 There the centurion found an (P)Alexandrian ship sailing for (Q)Italy, and he put us aboard it. 7 When we had sailed slowly for a good many days, and with difficulty had arrived off Cnidus, (R)since the wind did not permit us to go farther, we sailed under the shelter of (S)Crete, off Salmone; 8 and with difficulty (T)sailing past it, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea.

9 When considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous, since even (U)the [c]fast was already over, Paul started admonishing them, 10 saying to them, “Men, I perceive that the voyage will certainly be with (V)damage and great loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” 11 But the centurion was more persuaded by the (W)pilot and the [d]captain of the ship than by what was being said by Paul. 12 The harbor was not suitable for wintering, so the majority reached a decision to put out to sea from there, if somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of (X)Crete facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.

13 [e]When a moderate south wind came up, thinking that they had attained their purpose, they weighed anchor and began (Y)sailing along (Z)Crete, closer to shore.

Shipwreck

14 But before very long a violent wind, called [f]Euraquilo, (AA)rushed down from [g]the land; 15 and when the ship was caught in it and could not head up into the wind, we gave up and let ourselves be driven by the wind. 16 Running under the shelter of a small island called Cauda, we were able to get the ship’s [h]boat under control only with difficulty. 17 After they had hoisted it up, they used [i]supporting cables in undergirding the ship; and fearing that they might (AB)run aground on the shallows of Syrtis, they let down the [j]sea anchor and let themselves be driven along in this way. 18 The next day as we were being violently tossed by the storm, [k]they began to (AC)jettison the cargo; 19 and on the third day they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. 20 Since neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was assailing us, from then on all hope of our being saved was slowly abandoned.

21 [l]When many had lost their appetites, Paul then stood among them and said, “[m](AD)Men, you should have followed my advice and not have set sail from (AE)Crete, and thereby spared yourselves this (AF)damage and loss. 22 And yet now I urge you to (AG)keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For this very night (AH)an angel of the God to whom I belong, (AI)whom I also serve, (AJ)came to me, 24 saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; (AK)you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has graciously granted you (AL)all those who are sailing with you.’ 25 Therefore, (AM)keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that [n]it will turn out exactly as I have been told. 26 But we must (AN)run aground on a certain (AO)island.”

27 But when the fourteenth night came, as we were being driven about in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors began to suspect that [o]they were approaching some land. 28 And they took soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms; and a little farther on they took another sounding and found it to be fifteen fathoms. 29 Fearing that we might (AP)run aground somewhere on the [p]rocks, they cast four anchors from the stern and [q]prayed for daybreak. 30 But as the sailors were trying to escape from the ship and had let down (AQ)the ship’s boat into the sea, on the pretense that they were going to lay out anchors from the bow, 31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men remain on the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved.” 32 Then the soldiers cut away the (AR)ropes of the ship’s boat and let it fall away.

33 Until the day was about to dawn, Paul kept encouraging them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have been constantly watching and going without eating, having taken in nothing. 34 Therefore, I encourage you to take some food, for this is for your survival, for (AS)not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.” 35 Having said this, he took bread and (AT)gave thanks to God in the presence of them all, and he broke it and began to eat. 36 All (AU)of them [r]were encouraged and they themselves also took food. 37 We were 276 [s](AV)people on the ship in all. 38 When they had eaten enough, they began lightening the ship by (AW)throwing the wheat out into the sea.

39 Now when day came, (AX)they [t]could not recognize the land; but they did notice a bay with a beach, and they resolved to run the ship onto it if they could. 40 And casting off (AY)the anchors, they left them in the sea while at the same time they were loosening the ropes of the rudders; and they hoisted the foresail to the wind and were heading for the beach. 41 But they struck a [u]reef where two seas met and ran the ship aground; and the prow stuck firmly and remained immovable, while the stern started to break up due to the force of the waves. 42 The soldiers’ plan was to (AZ)kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim away and escape; 43 but the centurion, (BA)wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from accomplishing their intention, and commanded that those who could swim were to [v]jump overboard first and get to land, 44 and the rest were to follow, some on planks, and others on various things from the ship. And so it happened that (BB)they all were brought safely to land.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 27:1 Normally 600 men (the number varied)
  2. Acts 27:2 I.e., west coast province of Asia Minor
  3. Acts 27:9 I.e., Day of Atonement in September or October, which was a dangerous time of year for navigation
  4. Acts 27:11 Or owner
  5. Acts 27:13 Lit a south wind having gently blown
  6. Acts 27:14 I.e., a northeaster
  7. Acts 27:14 Lit it
  8. Acts 27:16 Or skiff: a small boat in tow for emergencies, transportation to and from shore, etc.
  9. Acts 27:17 Lit helps
  10. Acts 27:17 Lit implement, an object designed to stabilize a boat from the stern against the wind.
  11. Acts 27:18 Lit they were doing a throwing out
  12. Acts 27:21 Lit there being much lack of appetite
  13. Acts 27:21 Lit O men
  14. Acts 27:25 Lit it will be
  15. Acts 27:27 Lit some land was approaching them
  16. Acts 27:29 Lit rough places
  17. Acts 27:29 Or wished for
  18. Acts 27:36 Lit became cheerful
  19. Acts 27:37 Lit souls
  20. Acts 27:39 Lit were not recognizing
  21. Acts 27:41 Lit place
  22. Acts 27:43 Lit throw themselves
Close ISV

Acts 27
International Standard Version

Paul Sails for Rome

27 When it was decided that we should sail to Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were transferred to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the emperor’s division. 2 After boarding a ship from Adramyttium that was about to sail to the ports on the coast of Asia, we put out to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, went with us.

3 The next day, we arrived at Sidon, and Julius treated Paul kindly, allowing him to visit his friends there and to receive any care he needed. 4 After putting out from there, we sailed on the sheltered side of Cyprus because the winds were against us. 5 We sailed along the sea off Cilicia and Pamphylia and reached Myra in Lycia. 6 There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy and put us on it. 7 We sailed slowly for a number of days and with difficulty arrived off Cnidus. Then, because the wind was against us, we sailed on the sheltered side of Crete off Cape Salome. 8 Sailing past it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea. 9 Much time had been lost, and because navigation had become dangerous and the day of fasting had already past, Paul began to warn those on the ship,[a] 10 “Men, I see that during this voyage there will be hardship and a heavy loss not only of the cargo and ship, but also of our lives.”

11 But the centurion was persuaded by the pilot and the owner of the ship and not by what Paul said. 12 Since the harbor was not a good place to spend the winter, most of the men favored putting out to sea from there on the chance that somehow they could reach Phoenix and spend the winter there. It is a Cretian harbor that faces southwest and northwest. 13 When a gentle breeze began to blow from the south, they thought they could make it to Phoenix,[b] so they hoisted anchor and began sailing along the shore of Crete.

14 But it was not long before a violent wind (called a northeaster) swept down from the island.[c] 15 The ship was caught so that it couldn’t face the wind, and we gave up and were swept along. 16 As we drifted to the sheltered side of a small island called Cauda,[d] we barely managed to secure the ship’s lifeboat. 17 The ship’s crew[e] pulled it up on deck and used ropes to brace the ship. Fearing that they would hit the large sandbank near Libya,[f] they lowered the sail and drifted along. 18 The next day, because we were being tossed so violently by the storm, they began to throw the cargo overboard. 19 On the third day they threw the ship’s equipment overboard with their own hands. 20 For a number of days neither the sun nor the stars were to be seen, and the storm continued to rage until at last all hope of our being saved vanished.

21 After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood among his shipmates[g] and said, “Men, you should have listened to me and not have sailed from Crete. You would have avoided this hardship and damage. 22 But now I urge you to have courage, because there will be no loss of life among you, but only loss[h] of the ship. 23 For just last night an angel of God, to whom I belong and whom I serve, stood by me 24 and said, ‘Stop being afraid, Paul! You must stand before the emperor. Indeed, God has given to you the lives of[i] everyone who is sailing with you.’ 25 So take courage, men, because I trust God that it will turn out just as he told me. 26 However, we will have to run aground on some island.”

The Shipwreck

27 It was the fourteenth night, and we were drifting through the Adriatic Sea, when about midnight the sailors suspected that land was near. 28 After taking soundings, they found the depth to be twenty fathoms. A little later, they took soundings again and found it was fifteen fathoms. 29 Fearing that we might run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and began praying for daylight to come. 30 Meanwhile, the sailors had begun trying to escape from the ship. They lowered the lifeboat into the sea and pretended that they were going to lay out the anchors from the bow. 31 Paul told the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men remain onboard, you cannot be saved.” 32 Then the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and set it adrift.

33 Right up to daybreak Paul kept urging all of them to eat something. He said, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have been waiting and going without food, not eating anything. 34 So I urge you to eat something, for it will help you survive, since none of you will lose so much as[j] a hair from his head.” 35 After he said this, he took some bread, thanked God in front of everyone, broke it, and began to eat. 36 Everyone was encouraged and had something to eat. 37 There were 276[k] of us on the ship. 38 After they had eaten all they wanted, they began to lighten the ship by dumping its cargo of[l] wheat into the sea.

39 When day came, they didn’t recognize the land, but they could see a bay with a beach on which they planned to run the ship ashore, if possible. 40 So they cut the anchors free and left them in the sea. At the same time they untied the ropes that held the steering oars, raised the foresail to the wind, and headed for the beach. 41 But they struck a sandbar and ran the ship aground. The bow stuck and couldn’t be moved, while the stern was broken to pieces by the force of the waves. 42 The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners to keep them from swimming ashore and escaping, 43 but the centurion wanted to save Paul, so he prevented them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. 44 The rest were to follow, some on planks and others on various pieces of the ship. In this way everyone got to shore safely.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 27:9 Lit. warn them
  2. Acts 27:13 Lit. could achieve their purpose
  3. Acts 27:14 Lit. from it
  4. Acts 27:16 Other mss. read Clauda
  5. Acts 27:17 Lit. They
  6. Acts 27:17 Lit. the Syrtis
  7. Acts 27:21 Lit. among them
  8. Acts 27:22 The Gk. lacks loss
  9. Acts 27:24 The Gk. lacks the lives of
  10. Acts 27:34 The Gk. lacks so much as
  11. Acts 27:37 Other mss. read 76
  12. Acts 27:38 Lit. dumping the
Next
Acts 26
Acts 28
Next
dropdown
New American Standard Bible (NASB)

New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible is made available by The Lockman Foundation
International Standard Version (ISV)

Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.

ISV Bible